Ball-trap



BALL TRA-P.

Patented July 17, 1883i N@ FISCHER, Y

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENi OFFICE.

NICHOLAS FISCHER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

BALL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 281,356, dated July 17, 1883,

Application filed May 29, 1883. (No model.)

T9 all whom, t may concern:

citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traps or Target-Senders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to traps or target-senders used for projecting iiying targets into the air for shooting practice; and it consists in certain improvements in construction, whereby the same are rendered more durable, efficient, and generally simplified and ch eapened, and whereby also a plain and less expensive target may be used and more perfectly and efficiently projected into the air, all as hereinafter more fully described.

Mechanism embodying my inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a side partially sectional elevation of my improved trap; Fig. 2, a top plan view of same, and Fig. 3 a horizontal section of the spring-case.

The parts referred to herein are designated on the drawings by letters of reference.

A spring-case, A, pedestal B, and swinging arm C constitute the essential features of my invention, the rotating arm being provided, as hereinafter described, .with a target-carrier of novel construction and function. The springcase is preferably a hollow cylinder, open at the top and having a foot, c, terminating below in a ball, b, resting in a corresponding socket, c, in the pedestal B, thereby having an adjustment to any desired position and secured in final positions by one or more set-screws, c', The latter, however, may be dispensed with, and the parts secured by the cap-screws b', securing the ball b in its socket by the tightening of the cap. The pedestal terminates vbelow in a base-plate suitably provided for securing the apparatus firmly to the ground by stakes, or to a proper foundation.

Within the cylinder A-rises a central stud, d, projecting through arotating cap, A. The cap is provided witha circular flange, d', to which, and also to the central stud, d, are secured the ends of a coiled spring, which gives motion to the circular cap. Theouter edge of the cap A is formed with ratchet-teeth, and j force in the action of the apparatus.

' i engages a spring-detent, @,arranged at the out- Be it known that l, NICHOLAS FISCHER, va

side of the case A, between suitable abutments, protecting it against lateral displacement, and provided wit-h a hook or loop for manipulation bya rope or cord. As thus arranged the spring may be wound up by rotating the plate A',

and the detent e holds it in position until released by withdrawal of the detent, when the spring expends its force in rotating the plate. The plate A carries an arm, C, perforated to pass over and pivot loosely on the end of the stud d, where it is secured by anut and washer, and provided with a short projection, s, at its under side, fitting into any 011e of a series-of perforations, s', concentric'ally arranged on the plate A, whereby a relative adjustment of the arm may be made to the plate A', as desired. The arm C may be hinged at any point in its length, and provided with an arc-bar, f, and

set-screw for adjusting the two portions of thev arm at any desired angle. Atits extreme outer end the arm C carries an open-ended rectangular cage or boX, D, which may be connected to the arm, with provision for rotative adjustment, as shown. The box or cage D may be of rectangular or any desired form, the only essential condition being that at its eXtreme outer side it shall be formed or provided with a guideway or track, g,.for the rotation of the cylindrical'target E when impelled forward, and against it through thev action of centrifugal In the present case it is proposed to use a clay target of shallow cylindrical form, and a narrow rib, h, is arranged as part of the guideway, to project slightly over the upper edge of the target, and thereby guide it in a right line in relation to its containing-cage until expelled therefrom.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The spring-case A being adjusted to the desired angle, and the arm C adjusted to the rotating cap, and also the two parts of the arm ,and the target-box being properly adjusted, the spring is wound up and the target E placed in its position -in the box D; On pulling the string the detent e is withdrawn from engagement, andthe action of the spring throws the arm C rapidly around, and, owing to the inclination of the track g to the arm C, the circu- IOO lar target is impelled by centrifugal force to travel outward, and is also impelled against the track g With sufiicient force to create friction and canse its rotation. By this means it is thrown into the air in rapid rotation, thereby maintaining the desired angle of inclination to the horizon during its fiight as determined by the conditions of the occasion, such as the position of the marksman, &c.

Suitable provision may also be made for adjusting the inclination of the track or guideway q to the arm C, to regulate the action of the centrifugal force upon the target in respect to its leaving the cage, but, in general, the other provisions for adjustment of parts will be sufiicient.

It will be obvious that the arm and trackway may be applied to any other form of trapA involving a swinging arm, Whether the arm be actuated in a vertical plane or any other, and` that the principle of operation whereby the target is rotated by the action of centrifugal force, iinpelling it forward over a relatively fixed guideway, and thereby creating a frictional resistance, causing rotation, may be embodied in many forms of mechanism, and I do not therefore confine myself to the exact form and construction shown.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesl. In atrap or target-sender, a rotating arm carrying at its end an angularly-arranged target-receptacle provided with an outer guideway and adapted by thc rotation of the arm to impel the target outward by centrifugal force and cause rotation of the target by frictional resistance against the guideway, substantially as set forth.

2. A trap or target -sender embodying a spring-case, A, pedestal B, and rotating arm C, the latter being adjustably secured to the upper plate, A', of the spring-case and rotated thereby, substantially as specified.

3. In a trap or target-sender, a spring-case, A, having aspring-impelled rotating head, A, carrying a target-arm, and its outer periphery formed into ratchet-teeth, in colnbination with the spring-detent e, provided with a cord, substantially as set forth.

4. The trap or target-sender constructed, as shown, with a spring-case, A, united to the base or pedestal B by a universal joint, and carrying a target-throwing arm adjustable radially upon the spring-case, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the springcase A, ad justable upon its supporting base or pedestal, the target-throwing arm C, formed by hinging in two parts adjustable to each other in a relatively vertical plane, substantially as set forth.

6. In a trap or target-sender, in combination with the spring-rotated arm, aboX or cage, D, for containing and projecting therefrom a cylindrical target and rotating the same by the action of centrifugal force, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination with the rotating arm carrying at its end the angularlyarranged target receptacle D, provided with the outer guideway, g, and adapted to contain and pro ject a shallow cylindrical target, a rib or snpplemental guide, 7L, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto'set my hand in the presence of two Subscribing witnesses.

NICHOLAS FISCHER.

` Vitnesses:

L. M. HosEA, ALEX. HAMILTON. 

